More in Nutrition

Dec. 12, 2012

News

Grain Stocks Remain Very Tight

The Agriculture Department’s monthly crop report showed no change in the 2012 ending stocks forecast for corn and a slight decrease for soybeans compared to the prior month....More
Dec. 12, 2012

News

Could 2013 Signal the Return of $5 Corn?

The U.S. Department of Agriculture predicts the midpoint of U.S. farm prices on 2012 corn will be $7.60 per bushel. If yields are more normal in 2013, Purdue Extension agricultural economist Chris Hurt says prices could fall to $5.50 per bushel – the largest ever year-to-year drop....More
Dec. 7, 2012

News

Corn Crop Quality High Despite Drought

The overall quality of the 2012 U.S. corn crop is high and improves upon last year’s very good marks across a range of test factors, according to the U.S. Grains Council's Corn Harvest Quality Report 2012/13....More
Dec. 3, 2012

News

Watch DDGS Price, Supply Trends

A recent decline in ethanol production due to reduced demand at the pump has diminished the supply of distillers’ dried grains with solubles (DDGS) available to livestock producers....More
Dec. 3, 2012

News

Watch DDGS Price, Supply Trends

Livestock operations with a nearby ethanol plant have had the opportunity for an alternative feed supply to compete with higher-priced corn and soybean meal in recent years. While that seemed like a slam-dunk to help feed budgets, a recent decline in ethanol production due to reduced demand by the motoring public, has diminished the supply of distillers’ dried grains with solubles (DDGS), according to today’s FarmGateblog.com by Stu Ellis....More
Dec. 3, 2012

News

Scientists Emphasize Pork is Safe 1

Despite renewed attention over pathogens in pork, consumers can remain confident that the meat is safe to eat. Scientists emphasize that animal health and food safety measures have reduced foodborne pathogens, and food-related illness rates continue to decline....More
Nov. 30, 2012

News

Coping with High Feed Costs Researcher’s Priority 1

Through his position in the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University researcher Kurt Rosentrater focuses on improving the sustainability of agricultural systems, including grain storage, handling and processing operations; conversion of corn stover, algae and other biorenewable feedstocks into next generation biofuels; and economic analysis and life cycle assessment of bio-based systems....More
Nov. 29, 2012

News

Rabobank Forecasts Grain Price Surge in Early 2013

This week Rabobank predicted that grain prices will climb in the first half of 2013 and then beat a retreat as production recovers from weather disasters and creates a global surplus....More
Nov. 27, 2012

News

Consumer Reports Claims Findings of Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria and Ractopamine in Pork

The January 2013 issue of Consumer Reports magazine features an article claiming antibiotic-resistant bacteria and traces of ractopamine were found during an analysis of pork chop and ground-pork samples from around the United States. The article is entitled, “What’s in that pork?”...More
Nov. 21, 2012

News

Soil Moisture Conditions Remain Critical

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is wrapping up its reporting period for crop progress and soil conditions. While nearly all of the crops have been harvested, the big story that remains is the amount of soil moisture as the Corn Belt moves into winter, when there is less that can soak into the soil....More
Nov. 20, 2012

News

Keeping Pork in the School Lunch Program

“Bring on the pork” is the Pork Checkoff’s focus as new U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) requirements revamp the school lunch program....More
Nov. 19, 2012

News

U.S. Corn’s Export Empire Shrinking

The United States remains the world's corn export king, although its empire is shrinking, says a Purdue University agricultural economist. Foreign nations that previously relied on the United States for corn are growing more of their own or buying from other producing countries, says Philip Abbott. He predicts the trend will continue even if market conditions improve and U.S. corn production increases....More
Nov. 16, 2012

blog

Pork Producers are Disappointed by EPA Denial of Corn Ethanol Waiver 1

We’ve been waiting for this news…but this was not the outcome most pork producers were hoping to hear about the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS). The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) had been one of the organizations requesting a waiver of the RFS based on the outcome of this year’s severe drought and the resulting impact on feed availability and prices. In spite of the pleas from livestock producers, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today that the agency has not found evidence to support a finding of severe “economic harm” that would warrant granting a waiver of the RFS....More
Nov. 15, 2012

Article

‘Nutrient Requirements of Swine’ Released

National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academies of Science recently released the 11th edition of the “Nutrient Requirements of Swine.” This eagerly anticipated revised edition, commonly referred to as the Swine NRC, was prepared by a 10-member committee that spent nearly two years reviewing scientific literature focused on the energy and nutrient requirements necessary for swine in all stages of production....More
Nov. 15, 2012

Article

Stretching Feed

Low crop yields and limited carryover stocks have pork producers scrambling to find alternative feed ingredients. When evaluating alternatives, consider freight, storage, quality and short-term vs. long-term availability....More
Nov. 15, 2012

News

Take Care of Your Corn This Winter

Did you take all of your 2012 corn to the elevator or do you have corn in the bin? asks Illinois blogger Stu Ellis, who posted this report at www.farmgateblog.com....More
Nov. 13, 2012

News

Don’t Just Abandon Moldy-Looking Corn Fields

The concern about ear mold in late-harvested corn is higher than normal this year following a drought that created conditions ripe for the development of Aspergillus ear rot, an Ohio State University Extension plant pathologist says. Drought-stressed corn is more susceptible to infection by Aspergillus flavus, an ear rot fungus that produces a very potent group of carcinogenic toxins, called aflatoxins....More
Nov. 13, 2012

News

Crop Prices Trending Lower in 2013

The USDA's November forecasts of the size of the 2012 U.S. corn and soybean crops were larger than expected, particularly for soybeans, according to a report from agricultural economist Darrell Good, University of Illinois....More
Nov. 12, 2012

News

Focus on Fine-Tuning Feeding for Better Efficiency

While record-high prices for corn and soybean meal have many hog producers looking at alternative feed sources, improving the efficiency of current feeds is where producers should look to cut costs, says a University of Missouri (MU) Extension swine nutritionist....More
Nov. 9, 2012

News

WASDE Report Bullish for Livestock Producers

Today’s release of the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides some positive trends for crop production in the United States for 2012/13. U.S. feedgrain supplies for 2102/13 are projected slightly higher with small increases for corn production and higher projected corn imports....More
Nov. 5, 2012

News

Why Are Corn Exports So Dismal?

Corn export shipments were 15 million bushels for the past week and new sales were only six million bushels. Total shipments of 83 million bushels for the marketing year are 37% behind last year and sales are down nearly 50%. What is wrong with U.S. corn? Strong dollar? High cost? Aflatoxin? Is feed wheat more abundant and lower priced? Competition from typical or atypical sources?...More
Oct. 25, 2012

News

Missouri Swine Institute Set for Nov. 7

The hog industry always faces challenges. However, this year the industry has new opportunities to exercise preemptive control over many of the issues confronting producers. The University of Missouri Extension Commercial Agriculture (CA) Program’s 2012 Swine Institute, Nov. 7, will address many of the controls the industry can execute....More
Oct. 23, 2012

News

Five Tips to Manage Potential Mycotoxins 1

Due to this year’s ominous drought, many producers are now faced with the challenge of how to feed the 2012 yield to their livestock. “This year’s climate created all the right ingredients for a cocktail of mycotoxin challenges,” says Max Hawkins, Alltech Mycotoxin Management Team. “Besides the industry-expected aflatoxin outbreak, we are finding that some other molds and mycotoxins may be big players in this year’s crops...More
Oct. 19, 2012

News

Protecting Corn from Mold

In collaboration with University of Bologna (UB) scientists in Italy, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists Hamed Abbas and Bob Zablotowicz (retired) have devised a new method of applying K49 as a frontline defense against aflatoxin contamination in corn, which causes an estimated $200 million annually in U.S. losses alone....More
Oct. 18, 2012

News

Michigan Finds Little Aflatoxin in Corn

Despite early concern, very little aflatoxin has been detected in Michigan’s new crop of corn. This is good news for growers who are already struggling with low corn yields, shattered soybeans and pending insurance claims, says James DeDecker, Michigan State University Extension....More